Tile turning device



'Nov. 26, 1957 M, KEIM 2,814,493

TILE TURNING DEVICE Filed July 26, 1955 INVENTOR. .MELVIL LE KEIM UnitedStates Patent TILE TURNING DEVICE Melville Keim, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 26, 1955, Serial No. 524,493 3 Claims. (or. 273148)This invention relates to an amusement device or game and it relatesmore particularly to an element used in a game or the like for reversingthe positions of tiles or discs employed in playing the game or theamusement device.

It is an object of this invention to produce a game of the typedescribed which makes use of tiles or disc members and an element foruse in reversing the position of said tiles or disc members and it is arelated object to produce a new and improved device for use in turningover disc members, tiles and the like in playing the game or inoperation of the amusement device.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterappear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, anembodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view of the deviceembodying features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 2-2 ofFigure 1 showing the device in normal position at rest on a surface;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view similar to that of Figure 2showing the device in a tilted position, and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device shown in the previous figures.

The device embodying features of this invention comprises a memberformed of a rigid material such as of metal, wood or the like, butpreferably molded of plastic material into a unitary structure having apair of vertically disposed side walls and 12 laterally spaced one fromthe other and joined one to the other along their rearward edge portionby a vertically disposed back wall 14 extending crosswise between theside walls 10 and 12.

Extending rearwardly from an intermediate portion of the back wall 14 isa handle portion 16 in the form of a vertically disposed elongate armmolded of plastic material to extend rearwardly integrally from an upperportion of the back wall. Instead of molding the handle portion 16 toextend rearwardly integrally from the back wall, the handle portion maycomprise a separate element such as a rod, shaft or the like memberattached, as by molding, soldering, nailing, adhering, or by other meansfor fastening the handle to the rear wall.

Extending forwardly from the back wall between the side walls 10 and 12and spaced downwardly a short distance from the upper edges thereof is ahorizontally disposed shelf 18. In the preferred illustrated embodiment,the shelf is shown as being molded to extend integrally from the backand side walls. Instead it may be in the form of a separate elementinserted or fixed in the desired position between the side walls toextend forwardly from the back wall. The shelf 18 is dimensioned toextend forwardly from the back wall for a distance preferably as greatas the lengthwise dimension of the disc members or tiles 20 adapted tobe placed in position of rest on the upper surface thereof but the shelfterminates short of a front wall 22 by an amount greater than one-halfof the lengthwise dimension of the disc members or tiles but less thanthe length thereof. Thus there is provided a spaced relation between theforward edge of the shelf 18 and the front wall 22 which is greater thanone-half but less than the lengthwise dimension of the disc members ortiles with which the unit is adapted to be used.

The front wall 22 which is spaced forwardly from the forward edge of theshelf 18 extends vertically substantially continuously between theforward end portions of the side walls 10 and 12. The front wall isinclined slightly rearwardly from the upper edge to the bottom with thebottom edge portion 24 extending downwardly below the shelf 18 beingturned rearwardly at a slightly sharper angle to provide a curvilinearlip 26 which terminates short of the lower edges of the side and backwall portions 10, 12 and 14.

While not necessary in the construction and operation, the shelf may beformed with a skirt 28 depending vertically continuously from theforward edge portion of the shelf 18 for a distance less than the frontwall portion 24. When present, the skirt may be formed also with aforwardly extending lip portion 30 terminating short of the front wallto provide a spaced relation therebetween which is more than one-halfbut less than the length of the disc members or tiles.

In operation, the tiles or discs 20 are placed face up or face down, asthe case may be, on the shelf 18 while the unit rests squarely on thetop of the game board or table. As the device is rocked upwardly, asillustrated in Figure 3, using the lower rounded portions 32 at theforward edges of the side walls as the pivot, the weight of the tilescauses the tiles to slide forwardly over the shelf 18. If the length ofthe tile overhanging the shelf exceeds its center of gravity, usually atits center, but the leading edges of the tiles come into full engagementwith the front wall portion 22, the overhanging portions of the tilescause the tiles to rock downwardly about the forward edge of the shelfas the pivot. As the tile continues to shift forwardly, it is flippedover onto its opposite side as it continues its pass downwardly throughthe space between the shelf and the front wall 22. If the device isdisplaced forwardly over the surface of the board or table, the flippedtiles, as illustrated in Figure 3, will pass under the shelf and bedeposited on the underlying surface of the board or table facing in thedirection opposite that on the shelf.

The inturned portion 26 on the lower edge of the front wall 22 assistsin the action to displace the leading edge portion of the tilerearwardly upon engagement and thus assists in the action to flip thetile almost while in midair during passage downwardly through the spacebe tween the shelf and wall. The lip 30 turned inwardly rather sharplyfrom the bottom edge of the skirt provides insurance for the forwarddisplacement of the trailing edge of the tile, in the event that thetile is inadvertently not flipped over in response to the previouslyexisting balance of forces.

In any event, the spaced relation between the shelf and the front wall22 is dimensioned to be less throughout their lengths than thelengthwise dimension of the tile or disc members so that it will benecessary for the tile to extend downwardly therebetween at a rathersharp angle which is accented by the lip on the skirt and the inclinedportion on the front wall. As the leading edge of the tile engages thesurface of the board or table during forward displacement of the device,the leading edge of the tiles in engagement with the surface will becaused to be displaced rearwardly relative the device whereby the tileswill be caused to flip over and permit the shelf to pass over the tilesnow lying on their reverse side on the table or board.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction, arrangement, operation and materials, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A turner device for use with flat blocks comprising a pair oflaterally spaced apart, vertically disposed side wall members, a backwall member extending crosswise between the side wall members adjacentthe rearward edge portions thereof, a handle extending rearwardly froman intermediate portion of the rear wall, a front wall extendingcrosswise between the side wall members adjacent the forward edgesthereof, and a horizontally disposed shelf extending forwardly from therear wall between the side walls and spaced downwardly a short distancefrom the upper edges thereof, said shelf terminating short of the frontwall by an amount to provide a spaced relation therebetween dimensionedto be less than the length of the blocks but greater than one-half thelengths thereof.

to form a lip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,522,616 Dann Jan. 13, 1925 2,645,492 Durant July 14, 1953 2,699,336Keim Jan. 11, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,170 Great Britain 1895

